Top 5 of serve and return, Zverev is double trouble for his opponents | ATP Tour
Understanding
Top 5 in serve and return, Zverev is double trouble for his opponents
TDI Insights also shows a big advance ahead of 2024
September 11, 2024
Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Alexander Zverev has a season record of 56-17.
Written by Grant Thompson
Alexander Zverev made the holding task work with ease, racing through his service games by overpowering his opponents with his first big delivery. But the Germans have been equally effective in returning in 2024, making for a worrying combination for their opponents.
His consistent performance and comeback helped him compile a season-best 56-match winning streak and qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the seventh time.
The 27-year-old is among the Top 5 in both serve (8.8) and return rate (7.49), according to Tennis Data Innovations, in partnership with TennisViz. Shot Quality is calculated in real time by analyzing each shot’s speed, rotation, depth, range and impact on the opponent. Zverev has an impact by mixing firepower with hefty spin.
A significant improvement in his forehand Shot quality has given Zverev an improvement in both serve and return points. In 2023 Zverev was 13th on the forehand Shot Quality index; this year it has gone to the fifth. (He is fourth on the backhand leaderboard, the same position he holds in 2023.)
“Sascha likes to work for his grandfather, he comes back great, but he is also smart on the court, he knows how to read the game well,” said Mischa Zverev, who was number 25 in the PIF ATP Rankings and is a strong member of his brother’s team.
Qualified for Turin 👏🎾@AlexZverev he becomes the 2nd player to defend his position @atptour Last time!🔥
Look at his brilliance #Ideas numbers for the 2024 season so far to see how he got his spot👇#TennisInsights | @atptour pic.twitter.com/GA8ILVPjEL
— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) September 10, 2024
Zverev this season averaged 129 mph on his first serve, compared to a tour average of 116 mph. It is not so easy to get back his second service. The 22-time tourney averages his second performance at 105 mph, 11 mph faster than usual.
Zverev Serves 2024:
1st Server Speed = 129 mph (Tour Avg. = 116 mph)
1st Serve Accuracy = 59 cm from sideline (Tour Avg. = 58 cm)
Successful Start of Service* = 67.1% (Tour Avg. = 60.9%)
2nd Serve Speed = 105 mph (Tour Avg. = 94 mph)
Second Service Performance* = 26.2% (Tour Avg. = 23.4%)
*efficiency is the % of combined serves of aces, unreturned and the number of times the server is in the attack phase on serve+1
Zverev also noted impressive gains in other key Insights fields. He moved up to 13th (out of 61) in steals, scoring 37.2 percent from the defensive end. He jumped from 95 to 44 in Conversion, winning 68.1% of his points on offense.
He also plays more aggressive tennis, going from 39th to 22nd on the In Attack leaderboard, which shows which players spend the most time attacking.
When the tennis balls are sent to the end of the court, there is no breathing room for anyone on Zverev’s side.
This year’s Roland Garros finalist is taking an aggressive approach on his return, especially if he is aiming for a second title. According to TDI Insights, Zverev made more returns than the tour average, all while hitting the ball with more speed and spin. His return speed is eight mph faster than average speed.
It’s no wonder why Zverev returned to career-high No. 1 on Monday.
Zverev’s comeback in 2024:
First in % = 66% (Tour Avg. = 62%)
Initial speed = 67 mph (Average Tour = 59 mph)
1st Spin = 1,735 rpm (Tour Avg. = 1,677 rpm)
Second in % = 85% (Tour Avg. = 82%)
Speed 2 = 77 mph (Tour Avg. = 69 mph)
2nd Spin = 2,078 rpm (Tour Avg. = 1,778 rpm)
